Hunting blind

ABSTRACT

A hunting blind having a sheet of fabric hunting blind material and a folding overhead support bracket, the folding overhead support bracket to be attached to a tree, pole or stake, the roof of the hunting blind adapted to be supported by the folding overhead support bracket, the folding overhead support bracket having arms attached at one end thereof to a support so that the arms pivot from the support so that the arms can be folded away from each other to support the roof of the hunting blind but folded towards each other for more convenient transport of the bracket to and from the hunting site.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The instant application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/177,339 filed Mar. 11, 2015 herein fully incorporated by reference. The instant invention relates to hunting blinds and more specifically to hunting blinds of the type that are suspended from an overhead roof bracket. Usually the overhead bracket is attached to a tree but can be attached to a stake or pole. U.S. Pat. No. 8,863,766 is an example of a prior art hunting blind having an overhead bracket from which bracket a fabric hunting blind material is suspended to conceal a hunter standing or sitting behind or surrounded by the blind material. U.S. Pat. No. 6,588,440 discloses receivers strapped to a tree for receiving such an overhead bracket. U.S. Patent Application Publication 2012/0085381 discloses hinged arms for such an overhead bracket. Despite the excellent utility of such prior art hunting blinds, a remaining problem with such blinds is the bulk of the overhead bracket when transporting the bracket to and from the hunting site. It would be an advance in the art if an overhead bracket were discovered that provided the desired support function but was less bulky to transport to and from the hunting site.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant invention is directed at the above-mentioned problem. The instant invention provides a hunting blind having an overhead support bracket that provides the desired support function but which is less bulky to transport to and from the hunting site than overhead support brackets of the prior art. More specifically, the instant invention is a hunting blind comprising: a sheet of fabric hunting blind material and a folding overhead support bracket, the folding overhead support bracket to be attached to a tree, pole or stake, the roof of the hunting blind adapted to be supported by the folding overhead support bracket, the folding overhead support bracket having arms attached at one end thereof to a body so that the arms pivot from the body so that the arms can be folded away from each other to support the roof of the hunting blind but folded towards each other for more convenient transport of the bracket to and from the hunting site. In another embodiment, the instant invention is a folding hunting blind support bracket, comprising: arms attached at one end thereof to a body so that the arms pivot from the body so that the arms can be folded away from each other to support the roof of a hunting blind but folded towards each other for more convenient transport of the bracket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a highly preferred bracket of the instant invention showing the arms thereof in a folded position;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the bracket shown in FIG. 1 with the arms thereof in the extended position;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the bracket shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the bracket shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a side view of a highly preferred receiver for the bracket shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the receiver shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a top view of the receiver shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a side cross-sectional view of the receiver shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of a five hub blind suspended from the bracket of FIG. 1, which bracket has been inserted into the receiver of FIG. 5, which receiver is strapped to a tree trunk, which tree trunk is shown in cross-section.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the bracket of FIG. 1, which bracket has been inserted into the receiver of FIG. 5, which receiver is strapped to a tree trunk;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the bracket of FIG. 1 supporting the roof of a five hub hunting blind; and

FIG. 12 is a view in full of a five hub blind suspended from the bracket of FIG. 1, which bracket has been inserted into the receiver of FIG. 5, which receiver is strapped to a tree trunk, which tree trunk is shown in full.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to FIG. 1, therein is shown a top view of a highly preferred bracket 10 of the instant invention. Bracket 10 comprises plate 11, bolts 22, 19, 20 and 25, washers 18, 22, 26 and 25 b, locknuts 17, 21, 24 and 25 a and arms 12, 13, 15 and 16, which arms are shown in a folded position. Referring now to FIG. 2, arms 12, 13, 15 and 16 can be pivoted on bolts 22, 19, 20 and 25. Referring now to FIG. 3, therein is shown a side view of the bracket 10 shown in FIG. 1. Referring now to FIG. 4, therein is shown a rear view of the bracket 10 shown in FIG. 1. Extensions 27 and 28 are provided to engage with a receiver. The orientation of the bolts, nuts and washers shown in FIGS. 1-4 is not critical and can be reversed. Although the arms of the instant invention can be made of any suitable material, the preferred material of construction for the arms is extruded aluminum. Although the plate, the nuts, bolts and washers and the extensions of the bracket can be made on any suitable material, the preferred material of construction for the plate, the nuts, bolts and washers and the extensions of the bracket of FIG. 1 is painted steel. The extensions 27 and 28 are preferably sections of steel tubing welded to steel plate 11. It should be understood that the bracket of provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/177,339 (to which the instant application claims priority) is an alternative embodiment of the instant invention.

Referring now to FIG. 5, therein is shown a side view in full of a highly preferred receiver 30 of the instant invention. Referring now to FIG. 6, therein is shown a side cross-sectional view of the receiver 30 of FIG. 5 showing apertures 31 and 32. Referring now to FIG. 7, therein is shown a top view of the receiver 30 showing apertures 31 and 32. Referring now to FIG. 8, therein is shown a side cross-sectional view of the receiver 30 showing apertures 31. Although the receiver of the instant invention can be made of any suitable material, the preferred material of construction for the receiver 30 is painted steel.

The extensions 27 and 28 of bracket 10 can be strapped or otherwise attached to a tree or the like but preferably the receiver 30 is attached to a tree with a ratchet strap and hooks engaged through apertures 31 of receiver 30 with extensions 27 and 28 of the bracket 10 inserted through apertures 32 of receiver 30. Referring now to FIG. 9, therein is shown a bottom view of a five hub blind 33 suspended from the bracket 10 of FIG. 1, the extensions 27 and 28 of which bracket 10 have been inserted through receiver 30, which receiver 30 has been strapped to tree trunk 34 by strap 32 and hooks 35 and 36, which tree trunk 34 is shown in cross-section. The term “five hub hunting blind” is well known in the art and refers to a hunting blind comprising a sheet material roof and sides, the roof and each side being supported by poles radiating from hubs positioned in the center of the roof and sides. Roof hub 37 of the five hub blind 33 is shown along with roof poles 38, 39, 40 and 41. Referring now to FIG. 10, therein is shown a perspective view showing the bracket 10 of FIG. 2, extensions 27 and 28 of which bracket 10 have been inserted through receiver 30 of FIGS. 5-8 which receiver 30 has been strapped to tree trunk 34 by strap 32 and hooks 35 and 36. The rear roof section of the five hub blind 33 is wrapped around arms 12 and 16 with VELCRO brand fastener material 33 a. Referring now to FIG. 12, therein is shown a view in full of a five hub blind 33 suspended from the bracket 10 of FIG. 2, which bracket has been inserted into the receiver 30 of FIG. 5, which receiver 30 has been strapped to tree trunk 34 as shown in FIG. 9. Ladder 42 permits access to tree stand seat, not shown, enclosed by blind 33.

The blind of the instant invention can comprise of any suitable woven or nonwoven sheet material but preferably is woven nylon fabric. The blind of the instant invention can comprise any number of windows or openings in the top and or sides. The blind of the instant invention can be positioned at ground level so that a hunter can stand in the blind. The blind of the instant invention can also be positioned in a tree so that the hunter can sit or stand in a tree stand in the blind. The blind material of the instant invention can be draped from the bracket of the instant invention or, preferably, the blind of the instant invention is a five hub blind of the type shown in FIG. 12. The blind of the instant invention can be positioned at ground level by a tree or pole, or above ground level to conceal a tree stand.

In a highly preferred use of the instant invention, a tree stand is attached to a tree. Then, bracket 30 of FIGS. 5-8 is attached to the tree at a position above the seat of the tree stand, said attachment by way of a ratchet strap having hook ends. Then, the arms 12, 13, 15 and 16 of the bracket 10 of FIG. 2 are positioned inside a five hub hunting blind 33 to support the roof of the blind as shown in FIG. 11. Then from the seat of the tree stand, the hunter raises the bracket 10 and blind 33 up the tree using a rope or line attached to the roof hub of the five hub blind so that the extensions 27 and 28 can be inserted through receiver 30 as shown in FIG. 10. The hunter is then enclosed within the blind as shown in FIG. 12.

CONCLUSION

While the instant invention has been described above and claimed below according to its preferred embodiments, it can be modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the instant invention using the general principles disclosed herein. Further, the instant application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A hunting blind comprising: a sheet of fabric hunting blind material configured to form a roof and sides of a hunting blind, and a folding overhead support bracket, the folding overhead support bracket to be attached to a tree, pole or stake, the roof of the hunting blind to be supported by the folding overhead support bracket, the folding overhead support bracket having arms attached at one end thereof to a body so that the arms pivot from the body so that the arms can be folded away from each other to support the roof of the hunting blind but folded towards each other for more convenient transport of the bracket to and from the hunting site.
 2. The hunting blind of claim 1, wherein the hunting blind is a five hub hunting blind.
 3. The hunting blind of claim 1, further comprising an extension from said body and a receiver configured to engage with said extension so that when said receiver is attached to a tree or pole said bracket can be engaged with said receiver.
 4. The hunting blind of claim 2, further comprising an extension from said body and a receiver configured to engage with said extension so that when said receiver is attached to a tree or pole said bracket can be engaged with said receiver.
 5. A folding hunting blind support bracket, comprising: arms attached at one end thereof to a body so that the arms pivot from the support so that the arms can be folded away from each other to support the roof of a hunting blind but folded towards each other for more convenient transport of the bracket.
 6. The bracket of claim 5, further comprising an extension from said body.
 7. The combination of the bracket of claim 6 with a receiver configured to engage with said extension so that when said receiver is attached to a tree or pole said bracket can be engaged with said receiver. 